Japan

China is no longer just a consumer market, but a manufacturing base and launchpad for competing with Chinese automakers globally, says IMD Business School’s Mark Greeven.

Japan Airlines will introduce the robots for trial run at a Tokyo airport amid country’s surge in inbound tourism and worsening labour shortagesJapan’s famously conscientious but overburdened baggage handlers will soon be joined by extra staff at Tokyo’s Haneda airport – although their new colleagues will need to take regular recharging breaks.Japan Airlines will introduce humanoid robots on a trial basis from the beginning of May, with a view to deploying them permanently as a solution to the country’s chronic labour shortage. Continue reading...

Woman’s body found in Iwate prefecture last week, soon after a police officer was injured in bear attack nearbyRested but famished bears emerging from hibernation in Japan are already coming into contact with humans, with the pace of sightings outstripping that seen in 2025, a record year for bear attacks.According to media reports, the animals have been spotted with surprising frequency in urban areas in the country’s north-east, with authorities urging caution among people planning to spend the coming Golden Week public holidays in the countryside. Continue reading...

Foreign affairs minister begins another diplomatic tour to secure Australia’s fuel and energy supply chains. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning, Nick Visser here to guide you through the day’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:The foreign minister, Penny Wong, will travel to Japan today, part of a diplomatic trip to secure fuel supplies that will also include visits to China and South Korea. She said the effort will help “ensure Australia is prioritised as a reliable energy partner”. Continue reading...

People in affected areas urged to evacuate as quake registering 7.5 magniture occurred off the coast of SanrikuThe strength of the earthquake has been revised up to 7.5 and the biggest waves due to the tsunami are expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, authorities said.Reuters reported that prime minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety. Continue reading...

• The US and Japan signed an upgraded defense agreement Friday expanding joint military operations, technology sharing, and coordinated response protocols to counter Chinese military activities in the Indo-Pacific region. • The agreement authorizes increased US military presence in Japan, including enhanced surveillance capabilities and expedited weapons deployments, representing the most significant defense treaty expansion since 2015. • Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the alliance upgrade as destabilizing and counterproductive to regional peace, while Taiwan and South Korea welcomed the commitment to deterring further territorial aggression.

Elderly people take advantage of courses on how to navigate mobile devices and avoid ‘analogue isolation’It’s not only young people whose gaze is fixed on tiny screens. But for these users in Tokyo, clicking and scrolling is anything but second nature.“I can’t deal with all of the apps that jump out at me,” says one. “How do I know if I’ve definitely ended a call?” asks another. Continue reading...

• North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from near Pyongyang into the Sea of Japan at 5:20 AM UTC on April 8, 2026, reaching 500 km altitude per South Korean military. • The launch followed US B-52 bomber flights over the peninsula; Kim Jong Un called it a 'warning to imperialists' in state media. • It heightens regional tensions, with Japan evacuating 10,000 residents near landing zones and US vowing 'ironclad' deterrence.

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on April 8, 2026, focusing on countering North Korean threats and Chinese influence. • Discussions covered $10 billion in new joint defense tech investments and intelligence-sharing pacts; Yoon called it 'a new era of deterrence'. • The trilateral framework with Japan matters for Indo-Pacific security, especially after recent North Korean missile tests overflying Japan.

• Microsoft revealed a $10 billion investment plan in Japan focused on AI infrastructure, cybersecurity cooperation, and developer training. • The initiative partners with Sakura Internet and SoftBank to train one million engineers and developers by 2030, boosting local AI capabilities. • Sakura Internet's stock surged sharply following the announcement, signaling market optimism for Japan's tech infrastructure growth amid US tech ripple effects.

• Japan and South Korea formalized a expanded military cooperation agreement on Thursday, establishing joint command structures and coordinated response protocols to address escalating North Korean weapons development and missile tests. • The two nations agreed to share real-time intelligence on North Korean military activities and established a rapid-response task force designed to coordinate anti-missile defense systems within 48 hours of any provocation. • The agreement represents the strongest formal defense partnership between the two countries in over a decade and signals growing concern about North Korea's advancing intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.

The new rules are the first major change to the country’s laws governing child-rearing in more than a centuryDivorced couples in Japan will be able to negotiate joint custody of their children from Wednesday, in the first major change to the country’s laws governing child-rearing in more than a century.Previously, Japan’s Civil Code required couples to decide which parent would take custody of their children when they divorce. Continue reading...

PM Sanae Takaichi says about 80m barrels of stockpiled oil to be provided to refiners – equivalent to 45 days of domestic demand • Middle East crisis – live updatesJapan will begin the biggest-ever release of oil from its strategic reserves this week, the prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has said, as the country braces for possible shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.The government last week approved the release of 15 days’ worth of private-sector reserves, amid concern that the conflict in the Middle East will continue to hinder the flow of tanker traffic along the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

• President Trump met Japan's prime minister on March 20, fielding questions from Japanese media on why allies were not warned before US strikes on Iran. • Meeting occurs as US redirects focus to Middle East, potentially weakening joint priorities with Japan on trade and security issues. • Discussions highlight differing US-Israel goals in the conflict, with Trump denying plans to deploy ground troops.

US president was meeting with Japanese PM when he said: ‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIt would be funny if it wasn’t so Trumpy.Hosting the Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, in the Oval Office on Thursday, Donald Trump could not resist mocking Japan about its 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor during the second world war. Continue reading...

Response to Donald Trump’s callout for military support in the waterway has so far been vague and reluctantMiddle East crisis – live updatesCountries including the UK, Japan, China and South Korea have said they are still considering their options after the US president, Donald Trump, urged them to send warships to the strait of Hormuz to secure the vital shipping route.In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called on the UK, China, France, Japan, South Korea and other countries to send ships to the waterway, the world’s busiest shipping route which is being violently blockaded by Iran. Continue reading...

Viral video of girl being shoved by fellow pedestrian has reignited debate over butsukari – with experts blaming stress and gender dynamicsIt starts out as a heartwarming clip. A young girl, clearly delighted to be in Tokyo, beams as she makes a peace sign to the camera. Seconds later, she is shoved to the ground from behind by a woman wearing a surgical mask. The assailant doesn’t skip a beat, striding out of shot of the clip filmed by the girl’s mother.This was no accidental clash of shoulders in a crowded place, but one of the most visible examples of a spate of butsukari otoko – “bumping man” – shoving incidents in Japan that experts attribute to a combination of gender dynamics and the stresses of modern life. Continue reading...